No matter how lucrative the promise of being on the label seems, the reality falls short for the artist. Loon was one artist put through the system, thrown into the pop world with a flashy video, major publicity and the opportunity to ghostwrite for Diddy. Exposed to the business of major label fakery, he was fortunate enough to wake up from the illusion and reevaluate his life.
For Loon, his awakening was a conversion to Islam, rediscovering the beauty of life within himself and connecting to his fellow mankind through a devotion to Allaah. While touring the world as a musician, he made his way to Dubai and heard the call to prayer. Captivated, he began his journey to understand the religion, leading to his eventual conversion.
Chauncey “Loon” Hawkins changed his name to Amir Junaid Muhadith, and in 2009 his conversion became a story for the music world to take notice. As a once prominent hip hop artist, who celebrated the fast life of money and women that has become the calling card of Bad Boy Records, he gave up the life of a rap star to pursue his own spiritual development.
Al Jazeera brought Loon on the network to discuss his conversion and what it meant for himself as a hip hop artist to now embrace Islam devoutly, forsaking the temptations of the fast life of a Bad Boy for a true devotion to his faith. The show host approaches his guest with an air of uncertainty, almost testing the artist’s sincerity after so many years of being a “Bad Boy”.
Throughout the discussion, Muhadith maintains his humor and focus, presenting himself as a man who has separated himself from his past as a rap artist, now devoted to his study of Islam. He deflects the host’s requests for him to rap, explaining that was not an aspect of his life he wished to present at that time.
“I’m just happy to be accepting Islam and finding the peace of mind that I was always searching for in the music business,” said Muhadith.
“Right now I’m very much focused on studying Islam and becoming more knowledgible of the Deen, because being in the position of influence, I have to be able to protect myself in ways. You know the media sometimes tries to use these transitions that artists make, and try to make it into an opportunity to mock Islam or whatever faith a person might choose. So I’m very much an advocate of trying to study the Deen and become more knowledgible of Islam.”
Since the interview with Al Jazeera, Muhadith has been making appearances as a guest speaker to help expand people’s understanding of his conversion to Islam.
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